Nursery worker undergoes more than 60 hours in agonizing treatment just to get her vagina stretched – so she can have sex.
Tk Kennedy, from Verwood, Dorset, was 17-years-old when she was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome – meaning she is missing her womb, cervix and part of her vagina and will never have a period or be able to carry her own children.
According to the 20-year old, after accepting her life-changing diagnosis, she hopes to begin a 20 minute treatment that dilates her vaginal canal. This will be for at least three months.
An avid dancer, she revealed that she laughs and smiles when she is told she’s lucky to not experience periods. However, she admitted that it’s hard for her to hear the comments because she had always longed to be a mom.
She explained that it’s not like she’d have periods to become a mother “… but instead, she’d rather take them.
Tk Kennedy, from Verwood, Dorset, faces more than 60 hours of agonising treatment to stretch her vagina – just so that she can have sex
She was 17-years-old when she was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome
Tk stated that she saw her first doctor in April 2019, and that she also had an MRI. She was then transferred to a hospital that specializes in MRKH, where she was finally diagnosed in October.
Tk stated: “When I was 17, I hadn’t had my period. I went to the doctor and said so. They said that I’m just a late bloomer, it will be okay, and you’ll get your period.” And they kept pushing me aside.
‘I [later]It was like “look, this it! I’m done!” Something’s up, because I haven’t started yet’.
“They suggested that I could have polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and sent me for an Ultrasound. After an hour, he thought he might be right.
Tk is missing her womb, cervix and part of her vagina and will never have a period or be able to carry her own children
An avid dancer, she revealed that she giggles at being told she is ‘lucky’ not to have periods. However, she admitted it’s an occasional ‘kick in her teeth’ when she hears this comment.
The teenager said she’s hoping to start a ‘painful’ and ‘uncomfortable’ treatment to dilate her vaginal canal for 20 minutes twice a day, for a minimum of three months
Then I heard, “wait! Hold up!” Is it possible to be born in utero?
MRKH is what I found out the first time I looked into it. It was overwhelming, because it was so many things to consider.
“I went along with my mom.” [for a later appointment]”Looking over your scans, I’m sorry. You have MRKH,” he said to me.
It was “maybe it is” that I remember from the appointment. That caused me grief. The shock was less about “wow I actually do have it”, and now my life has been altered. I will have to accept this fact and live with the consequences. It was quite a shock.
According to the 20-year old, being diagnosed with cancer was shocking and has ‘changed’ her life. She now needs to adjust her plans regarding future pregnancies.
She said that she can get her biological children via a surrogate because she is 20 years old.
Tk shared the following: “I spoke to my best friend shortly after getting diagnosed. She hugged me and we wept because we were talking about pregnancy at the same moment and that it broke her heart.
She stated that MRKH is a common name and can relate to the most important comments. “Oh, how lucky are you to not have periods?”
‘I experience pain in my stomach, it’s almost like having a period. But there’s no pattern.
The pain is different. Sometimes, it’s just one painful sensation. Other times, I find myself curled up on the floor in pain.
Tk stated that she doesn’t experience periods but she can ‘feel pain’ from her MRKH syndrome, which she described as a ‘bit similar to a period’.
Tk, a nurse practitioner, believes in raising awareness about MRKH online. She said that she is passionate about her diagnosis and has ‘learned how to embrace it’
Tk, a nursery practitioner, is passionate about raising awareness online for MRKH. She said that her diagnosis was something she’d ‘learned’ to accept and consider a’strength’ since she can help and support other women.
Tk stated that she had a narrow vagina canal. She also doesn’t possess a cervical or a womb. It’s not well developed and it makes it difficult to have comfortable sex.
“With treatment, you use dilaters. Start with one that is no larger than your pinky. Then stretch your vagina canal to increase its size so you can have sex comfortably and without pain.
“You must do treatment for 20 mins twice per day. This is too much for someone like me who works 10 hours a days, four days a weeks. It can be difficult to find time to work both sides of this. That is something I have yet to figure out.
Tk hopes the treatment will make her happier and help her have more sex.
It can take up to three months depending on how your body responds to the procedure. However, depending on who you are, dilation may not be as severe because your vagina canal can be longer. If it does, then it might be less time and more effort.
“You can dilate by sex, but it is likely to be painful since there is practically no space to have sex.
It all depends on who you are because some people might have enough of a vagina canal to allow them to have sex. However, it may be uncomfortable the first time.
‘All my girlfriends obviously are not doing it so this is just another thing that highlights who I am and reminds me of the condition because it can cause quite upsetting and can be very uncomfortable. But it’s something that makes me want to have sex.
According to the singer, she feels like she has ‘another family” because of her involvement in the MRKH Stars organization.
According to the 20-year old, she feels ready to begin treatment. She also hopes to be able to share it with a friend next year so that they can all support each other.
According to her, 20 minutes should be taken twice daily. You can also take a break for a few days during the week. However, if you are not persistent it could become more difficult.
The singer and the keen singer run MRKH Stars together, which aims support for young women diagnosed with this condition. She stated that her involvement has given her ‘another family.
Tk shared the following: “The positives that I’ve discovered are friendships – without MRKH, I would not have met these ladies and have a very good friendship with them. And I can wear white as often as I wish.
“I’m not afraid to say it” [MRKH]You can hide it or shout from the rooftops [online]Although I know I have the condition, I won’t let it control me. I will use my knowledge to help others and raise awareness.
Tk indicated that her condition is not a ‘consume’ and said she believes she can use it to benefit others.
According to the 20-year-old, she views her diagnosis now as a strength rather than a weakness.
It is nice to know I can help others and increase awareness.
“When my friend and best friend met me with MRKH, it helped me to see that I did not need to be silent. She has someone I can cry with who is understanding of where I am coming from.
“I am able now to support others by sharing awareness, supporting them, and eventually I will have my child through adoption. Then they can find a loving home.
“Now it is not weakness that I perceive, but a strength.
What IS MAYER ROKITANSKY KSTER HAUSER?
Rokitansky Syndrome, or MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser), is a congenital abnormality characterised by the absence of the vagina, womb and cervix.
Women suffering from the condition will have normally functioning ovaries, so will experience the normal signs of puberty – but will not have periods or be able to conceive.
The external genatalia are completely normal which is why MRKH isn’t usually discovered until women are in their teenage years.
Rokitansky Syndrome, or MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser), is a congenital abnormality characterised by the absence of the vagina, womb and cervix
Dilation is a treatment that uses dilation cylinders of various sizes and shapes to open the vaginal canal.
If this fails, then the surgeon will attempt to open the canal.
After treatment, women can have intercourse. They also have the option to have eggs taken and fertilized for surrogacy. However, people without ovaries will not be able have children as they can’t make any eggs.
One in five live female babies is affected, according to an article published in 1985 in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine.
Source: Centre for Disorders of Reproductive Development & Adolescent